phono stage or step up transformer?

Hi

I've never heard the 834p. Various people here and elsewhere have said that the Loricraft is very musical and a bargain new.

I'm picking the EE Minimax up tonight so will see how it fares both on mm and mc.

If you could get a decent S/H price (from Dom) for the Loricraft, then that would be a good route- as you wouldnt lose much on it (if at all) if you chose to sell it on. I think that's what I might do and then audition the 834p and others at your leisure, if you so desired.

Good luck.

 

nice deal you got there, Baud!

 

Hi DT

8 Months old, mint boxed, incl better JJ tubes and £80 isotek cable- for £530. He shouldn't have ebayed it in august IMO. I felt like a football player who had scored but doesnt celebrate.

Anyhow, got it home and..

...mismatch with the TVC! -the drivers start moving (and last night making a thumping sound), more as you turn it up. Plugged it into a spare active preamp I have hanging around and it works fine- so nothing wrong with the Minimax.

I had been warned it would be hit and miss because the Minimax is 'a feedback equalised type with a very low value output capacitor'. The only way was to try it and see.

its a bit of a rollercoaster really

:cry: :guiness: :chunder: :banana: .............:MILD:

But sounding very nice with the active preamp. Using a OL RB250/DMN Reca MM and OL Illustrious/Shelter 901 MC- both seem fine with the minimax, which has handy twin inputs and toggle switch, so no need to use 2 phono stages. The Cole also twin inputs, should I decide to go for that over the minimax.

 

Congrats Baudrillard!!
You beat me on ebay!!!

Glad you are having fun with the MiniMax... I was wondering how good it was gonna be... it seems it is pretty good from what you say!

I have tried the Diablo, Microgroove+ and an 834P. The EAR beat the others into a pulp (to these ears anyway) and so I am looking at valves for the phonostage.

If anyone knows of an EAR (MC!) going 2nd hand I would appreciate the tip...

Dom thanks for the offer but I am now more than convinced that valves is the way to go for me in terms of phonostage...

Thanks guys,
Jack.

 

Very nice arm/cart combo there

Sorry to hear about the TVC mismatch, but you already knew they were finnicky buggers before you bought one

Jack, 834P's come up quite regularly. Shouldn't be too long a wait. In the meantime, maybe you should see if you can find one of these: http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=EMXPHONO

Would probably be a nice alternative to an 834....

DT

 

Besides a few items, they work fine with most gear. The minimax is unusual in that it has a very low value output coupling capacitor forming a resonant circuit (with the inductance of the TVC).

So, what gets sold- the minimax or the TVC? Tell me an active line stage that comes close to the MF TVC at its price point?

 

Thanks DT, good suggestion! You reckon they will be up to par with the EAR?!

I will see if I can have one in for audition. In the meantime I will keep looking for second hand alternatives.

Baudrillard... I could answer your question about what you should sell... but I would probably be biased...
(in all honesty I haven't heard the MF so I really couldnt give you an opinion on that)

Good luck!
Jack

 

Well Baud, there are some very nice active tube preamps, old & new, that would do a wonderful job. However, I'm wary to recommend any to a TVC user because the invetible response would be "they're additive, coloured and euphonic - not transparent enough" (or something along those lines).

Are you that concerned that a replacement pre-amp won't have the nth degree of transparency? Just interested to know where your preference lie. Mine are firmly on the warm side of neutral, which I think I've pretty much nailed now. I do miss my old Ming-Da pre though, with its very old-school but delightfully euphonic, warm presentation.

Of course, there are some very transparent/neutral tube pre's out there, but you're right that they cost at least twice, possibly thrice as much as the MFA....

DT

 

No idea dude - haven't seen one in the flesh, let alone heard/used one for any length of time. Looks very cute though, and they seem to be very popular over on the US forums (along with the Earmax headphone unit).

Not sure who distributes them in the UK.

DT

 

B - if you want to hear an 834P send me a PM, I live in M/Keynes.

you could hear it through your TVC if you want.

you'd be welcome to bring the E/Electric over for an A/B.


Cheers
Chris.

 

Hey Turtle

To be frank, I've heard very few preamps period. I changed my Bryston BP25 for a TVC last year, which was a good move. But not heard many other active pre's- so cannot comment. But just out of interest, where would be a good place to start if I decided to go active? Power is a Canary 301 (300Bs)

I am currently enjoying the MInimurk phono connected to a Headamp GS-1 headphone amp/active pre. Perhaps it would be a bit drastic to sell the TVC in order to keep it- as there are other equally good or better stages out there- no doubt- but the murkimini was a bargain.

Sorry Jack- going a bit off topic.

 

Well it seems you're set on selling the "minimurk" then! Maybe you should offer it to Jack? He did bid on it after all.....

 

Cheers Chris

Would be nice to hear those altecs, too! The only thing is I have no car at present- so couldnt carry both the TVC and EE. It might be easier to just borrow an 834p off Walrus. How's the Glasshouse comin along?

 

No, not just yet T. I can afford to hang on to the Miniskirt for a bit (a month or two), in order to compare it against other stages and also take the opportunity to listen to a few active preamps. It would be a shame to sell it immediately without getting the full measure of it. I've already explained that to Jack via PM. Sorry I cannot be more helpful.

 

OK!

If you are going to try some active line stages, (assuming a budget of £1,500?), you should consider the following:

Balanced Audio Technology VK-3i (ok, ok, recommonding my own kit, but it really is worth a try. Plenty knocking around for £1200-£1500)
Icon Audio LA4 - One dealer offers an jenson cap/GE tubes upgrade on this for £350.
Tube Technology Prophet Sig - £800 to £1000. Nice two-box design
Audio Research SP16 MkII - might not even need a phono stage when you've heard the capabilities of the onboard stage on this!
Rogue Audio Magnum 99 - Heathcote have one for £1500
Eastern Electric Minimax - for obvious synergy reasons...
Melody SHW 1688II - Alledgedly very good pre from China: http://www.melody-europe.com/uk/preamplis.htm

Modwright & Anatek have also had interesting preamps reviewed recently. Might be worth checking out....

DT

 

Hi,I used an Ear for a few years with my Helikon,whilst I thought it was good,I always felt it was holding the cartridge back for some reason.
Anyway listened to quite a few phono stages and went for the ARC ph5 pure bliss !!
Trouble is,do I mortgage the house for their new one ??

GJO.

 

The PH5 is a stunner. Over the moon with mine. Totally transformed my analogue front-end.

Is "the new one" you're talking about the Reference 7? If so, you will need to re-mortgage the house - £5k!!!!

DT

 

Thanks for the list DT. I'll bear those in mind.


I emailed Alex Yeung, the maker of the EE Miniskirt to tell him about my speaker's drivers oscillation when the MIniskirt is connected to the TVC and he replied:

"1. Passive preamp does not have gain and is not able to drive your power amp. You need a normal active preamp to boost the signal send from the phono stage.

2. The drivers of your speakers moving back & forth because your turntable is producing rumble, not due to the capacitors or the phono stage. The MiniMax phono stage is extremely stable and does not produce any oscillation."

 

Same hear with the phono stage,trouble is do I upgrade the PH5,or the CD3 ??

GJO